


Support

by eClair23



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27091150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eClair23/pseuds/eClair23
Summary: After the war, the Weasleys discover what happened to Hermione at Malfoy Manor.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Kudos: 28





	Support

Ginny stirred, sleepily looking over at the cot next to her bed. Hermione was murmuring in her sleep (not altogether uncommon, but this was different). She seemed to be pleading with someone or something not to hurt her, over and over. When Ginny tried to shake her shoulder, she jerked away from her hand, flinching. Ginny had a vague idea that something major had happened to Hermione while the trio were on the run, but the boys had refused to give her details, and she wasn’t about to harass Hermione about it. 

Hermione shrieked, sending a shock through Ginny. That did it. She sprinted up to Ron’s room to grab the boys. If anyone would know how best to help Hermione, it would be them. She met Ron and Harry halfway up the stairs, looking frazzled.

“What’s wrong?” Ron asked frantically. 

“Hermione–I don’t know, I think she’s having a nightmare and I can’t wake her up and I don’t know what to do.”

Ron pushed past her toward the girls’ room, calling Hermione’s name softly.

He sat gingerly on the bed next to her, pulling her hand away from her arm, where she was yanking at her sleeve. “‘Mione, you need to wake up, okay? It’s time to wake up now.”

She stirred slightly, opening her eyes.

“Ron?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” He pulled her into his arms as she started to cry. “I’m here, it’s okay. You’re safe now. She can’t hurt you anymore.”

She pulled back, sniffing and wiping her nose. “Did I wake you?”

He nodded. “You screamed. Ginny came to get us.”

She suddenly noticed Harry and Ginny at the door, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and George. “I’m sorry I woke you all.”

Ron rubbed her back soothingly. “It’s okay. We want to take care of you.”

She mopped the tears off of her face, embarrassed. “I’m okay now, it was just a bad dream.”  
Ron gave her hand a squeeze. 

“But I don’t think I want to go back to sleep.”

He nodded. “Let’s get you some tea, okay?”

She took his hand gratefully, standing. He walked her downstairs to the kitchen and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed. 

Molly brewed the tea in silence as Arthur tried to get the story out of Ron, Harry, and Hermione at the kitchen table. Ginny sat by Harry quietly.

“Dad, I told you. It’s Hermione’s story to tell, not mine. We can’t tell you.”

“We want to help her, Ron, but we can’t do that if you won’t tell us what’s going on.”

Molly set a steaming cup of tea in front of Hermione. “Drink up, dear.” She gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Ronald, can your father and I have a word with you in the sitting room?”

Ron looked at Hermione, who nodded faintly. “I’m fine, Ron.”

He followed his parents out, but she could still hear them whispering.

“I’m telling you, it’s not my place to tell you this. It’s got to be her decision to tell you. I’m not going to speak for her. She needs time.”

“She may never be ready to tell us, Ron! Do you expect us to just accept the fact that she’s having nightmares about something so traumatic you can’t tell us about it? How are we supposed to sit here and let her suffer? We can help her, Ron.” Molly chimed in.

Hermione came into the living room and stood next to Ron. She spoke quietly. “It was Bellatrix.”

Ron looked at her searchingly. She offered him a weak smile: I’m okay. “Maybe we should sit down for this.”

“Harry and Ginny should be here, too. And George,” she reminded Ron.

“Come on in, guys.”

Hermione settled against Ron on the couch, his arm securely around her shoulders. “When we were… on the run, we ran into some Snatchers. They, um, they brought us to the Malfoys’.” She paused and Ron squeezed her hand encouragingly. 

She took a deep breath. “Harry and Ron were put in the cellar, but Bellatrix kept me upstairs.”

Molly stared at her, wide-eyed. Harry looked at the floor, deep in remembrance.

“She, well, she interrogated me. She gave me… this,” she pulled back her sleeve to reveal the word carved on her arm, taking a shaky breath. Molly gasped. Ginny buried her face in Harry’s shoulder. 

“I remember her using the Cruciatus Curse a few times, but after that… I don’t remember much until we got to Bill and Fleur’s.”

Silent tears slid down Molly’s face as Arthur buried his face in his hands. 

Hermione’s voice was small. “Ron, can you tell them the rest?”

He looked surprised, but nodded, running a hand up and down her back.

“Dobby eventually got us out and we apparated to Bill and Fleur’s. By the time we got there, though, Dobby… He gave his life to save ours.”

Harry nodded. 

“Bill and Fleur helped us get back on our feet, and Fleur took care of Hermione until we were ready to keep going. She did her best with the scars, but she said the blade must have been cursed. No matter what she tried, they wouldn’t fade.” Ron said sadly.

Molly wordlessly enveloped Hermione in a hug, holding her close as both women cried into the other’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, dear.”

“It’s okay. I’m okay, really, Mrs. Weasley. Ron was brilliant, he got us out.”

“Come into the kitchen and we’ll get that bandaged up, alright? And then back to bed with you. I’ve got some extra Sleeping Draught, and I’ll brew some more in the morning.”

Hermione smiled weakly. “Thank you, Mrs. Weasley.”


End file.
